Walking in the Dark
by wiseowl7
Summary: An unforgettable quest commanded by Lady Hecate herself. Thalia, Nico and Percy are thrust into a world full wizards in which they don't know anything about. In Hogwarts, they meet Hermione, Ron and Harry who are suspicious of them. Overcoming obstacles, barely grasping the wizardry world, they must complete their quest that seem to be like walking blindly into the darkness
1. A Quest is Issued

It was needless to say that Percy was excited. After the Titans War, everything started to settle down and for once in his life he felt at peace. He had high hopes that this year he would finally be able to have a normal year but the Fates were cruel and loved to mock him in his misery.

The sun shone brightly almost blinded him. Apollo was happy today, it seemed. He treaded down the busy streets of Manhattan. It surprised him how lively it looked compared to just a few months ago, when it was a battlefield. Surprisingly, it warmed his heart that people can now go back to their daily lives so unaware of what had transpired. He passed a bakery shop. The sweet smell of freshly baked bread drifted through the morning air making his stomach rumble. He still found it unbelievable that he was still alive walking through the peaceful streets soon to be filled with cars and cabs in its morning race. The prophecy, his friends, Camp, all of this ran through his mind in a jumbled mess that had yet to be sorted out. The memories of the war made him wake up in cold sweat every night. It still haunted him that so made had died during it. Silena, Beckendorf, Luke, … these are names of only a few. A cold shiver ran down his spine.

'Who's there?'

He eyed his surrounding suspiciously. Years of training kicked in when he saw a flash of silver and gold. He darted after it like a bullet. Minutes ticked by, He felt his legs started to ache up. What is it? The orb gave a sharp turn towards a forest. A forest? Percy had no idea where he was or why he wanted to follow it. Come to think about it, he did not know what it was! His feet moved at its own accord, it somehow managed to keep up the speed. If this was monster he would turn back but that would not had made any sense why it would be leading to a location. Or maybe it was a message from the Gods. That made sense but why would it make him chase it? The trees passed him quickly and now it looked like a blur of green and brown. The muscles of his legs started to tire yet it refused to stop. He could have almost heard the Gods mocking him for failure to reach the mysterious orb. Pathetic! Renewed with the determination to catch up with it, he passed countless of trees. Life still continued as usual as he remained entirely focused on his target. The orb glowed more brightly as if it was challenging him to come nearer. Abruptly, it stopped. He tried to stop yet found it difficult to control his legs and collided into a mass of black.

THWACK!

He started to see stars as he stumbled back on the impact.

'Ouch' he mumbled under his breath.

When he realised that he was drenched in sweat and panting rapidly, he cursed. He was beyond exhausted. He looked up at the figure he bumped into. She wore a silver tiara and a silver parka. Electric eyes looked at him and widened in surprise.

'Percy?'

'Thalia' he stammered in shock, 'what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be with the Hunters?' Thalia, daughter of Zeus, became lieutenant of Artemis during the quest to save Artemis. Therefore swearing off men for the rest of her life. She was immortal but she can only die if she falls in battle. They had became closer after the war like real brother and sister. However, it did not explain why she was here.

'I was traveling to camp; Artemis let me have a break. I followed the orb until I crashed into you. Speaking of the orb, where is it?' He looked around frantically trying to find it but it was nowhere in sight.

'Are we being tricked?' Percy asked. Something did not seem quite right. The forest was silent like it was silently observing them.

'I don't know' Thalia replied uncertainly. A shadow loomed over in a corner. It looked like it was gathering all the shadows giving a death like aura to it. A young boy walked out of the shadows. He wore an aviator jacket, black jeans. Dark eyes that are almost black stared at both of them.

'Nico?' Nico was the son of Hades, few months ago he convinced his father to help with the war. Thalia, Nico and Percy grew close and considered each other as a family. They had similar experiences due to the fact that they are the children of the Big Three (Percy was the son of Poseidon).

'Thalia? Percy?' Nico exclaimed in shock. 'You are here too?'

'Long story' replied Thalia, she seemed to be looking around trying to figure out what was happening.

' I'm the only one who noticed that the all the Big Three children are here?' Percy said.

Thalia eyes widened, 'The world is ending, Fish Face is finally thinking!'

Percy rolled his eyes. Honestly, he wasn't that stupid.

Nico snickered in agreement, 'Leave it to Percy to point out the most unexpected things'

'Hey, if I was that stupid I wouldn't have led you in the war'

' True' Nico grudgingly agreed but it did not keep the smirk of his face.

Suddenly, a bright light enveloped them completely in a flash of green.  
They appeared in a church that looked like it was in ruins. The ceiling was high giving a spacious feel. The windows were made up of intricate shapes of glasses that glowed sternly at them. The whole place was ancient and rang with a powerful feeling that made Percy felt unsettled. In the middle of the room was a wooden stool and on it sat a woman. She had brown hair that is tied into a bun. She also wore a long brown dress that swept onto the floor. Eyes of green glowed severely at them. The woman gestured at them. They automatically moved forward. She reminded them of someone or something. A cabin… Percy gasped.

'Hecate'

She smiled at them but it did not quite reach her eyes.

' I have a quest for you'


	2. A New Beginning

Thalia's eyes widened. After all they had been through the Gods could not give them a break. Thalia had gotten back from a hunt for a group of hellhounds and the least likely goddess gives them a quest? Where had all the logic in the world went? Judging by the expression on Percy's and Nico's face, they agreed with her as well. She glanced as Lady Hecate. Her posture was stiff and tense as if she had no sleep for days or maybe even weeks. Her lips were pulled into a thin line as she stared at them with her neon green eyes. The way she looked at them made Thalia think that she was trying to decide whether to kill them or could not be bothered with them. A few more seconds passed, the tension in the room escalated so much that she thought it was going to explode. Surprisingly, it was Nico who broke the silence.

'What do you mean?'

'You see, thousands of years ago I met clever man. I saw potential in him and could not bear to watch his talent being wasted in non-trivial things so I blessed him with the ability to do magic.' Hecate paused observing their reaction.

Percy looked confused, his eyebrows furrowed as if he was trying to process the information given. This day could not get any weirder. She wondered if Annie had influenced him. She must question him later. Annabeth was the daughter of Athena, the goddess of wisdom, warfare, crafts, etc. She had the typical Athenian look, honey blonde hair and grey eyes that are always calculating ways to take you down in a fight. Nico narrowed his eyes then widened. Did he know about this before? She was also confused by this too. Why was this old man so important? He was probably already dead already. Yet she sounded like she wanted to convinced herself. The man was also blessed with magic... This confused her even more. Hecate was not known for blessing people so what did that man do? She sighed in defeat. Hecate looked amused with their reactions.

'As I was saying, this man was better known as Merlin. His children gained magical powers as well. If I found worthy mortal I would bless them with magical powers. Over the years, the wizard community grew and now they are going to face a dark threat. I made a mistake...' Hecate swallowed as if it was difficult to admit that she made a mistake. 'Of blessing the wrong mortal, his name is Tom Riddle or better name as Voldemort'

Thalia tried to reign in her confusion and forced herself to try a more diplomatic approach. 'Lady Hecate, with all respect…' Thalia pause and took a deep breath, 'Why are you telling us this?' All this storytelling was starting to feel annoying. Why couldn't Hecate get to the point already? Thalia saw clearly that Percy and Nico agreed with her because they started to look bored out of their minds.

'Well, daughter of Zeus, a child was born named Harry Potter. Voldemort attacked his home, killing his parents. His mother sacrificed herself for him therefore protecting Harry from Voldemort. As soon as Voldemort tried to kill him, it rendered him powerless. Now he is slowly gaining power. The wizards do not know this, that is why I am sending you three in this quest to guide and protect Harry from the dangers. I shall guide you and keep in touch with you through your time in the wizardry world if you choose to accept this.' Hecate looked at all of them with a cold expression revealing no emotion.

Thalia's insides turned into ice and she felt like she plummeting from the sky. It was an impossible dream that she would finally earn peace after the war. She glanced at Percy and Nico for some sign of assurance but they were locked in their thoughts. Until Percy cleared his voice and said, 'Could we discuss it together privately?' Percy looked at her and Nico for some sign of support.

Lady Hecate simply replied and waved her hand, 'Of course, feel free. You must keep in mind that thousands of innocent lives are at stake.'

Thalia groaned. This definitely would have convinced Percy. She felt annoyed. Why does Percy always have to play the role of the hero?

Suddenly her surrounding shimmered and disappeared. It was replaced by a beautiful garden filled with all sorts of flower. The sweet scent filled the air. Birds were chirping happily without a care. Faraway, she heard a distinct sound of a river flowing adding to the tranquil atmosphere. They were at the back of the church, she realised. Nico was the first one to speak.

'So, what do you think about this quest?'

'I think we should give this a chance. A thousand people are at stake!' Percy exclaimed in shock yet determined to convince them.

Thalia sighed, 'We don't have a choice, it does not bode well to defy a goddess. Well, for most people except for Kelp Head here' She could not had resist from throwing another insult at Percy. In return, she received a glare from him.

'You're right. I mean if we defied her I think she might turn us into toads' Nico murmured and shuddered, probably remembering a very bad experience. How do they get back now? As if answering her question, another blinding flash brought them back to the austere church.

'We accept' they said together in unison. Thalia raised her eyebrow. Perhaps they were not so different from each other after all.

Hecate smiled in amusement. 'Since you had accepted, I shall now bless you with magic. However, you must pay attention that because you possessed God's blood in your veins combined with the blessing your magical abilities are immense and you must try you best to control it' Hecate voice suddenly became very stern.

She murmured a spell in Ancient Greek. Slowly, they were enveloped in a golden light. It felt warm yet cold at the same time which unsettled her greatly. She felt the feeling began to become more intense and she had to fight hard to maintain her consciousness. Her knees felt weak. Then everything went black.

Thalia opened her eyes. Her head felt like it had split apart. She was welcomed with a bright light spewing from the windows. She observed her surroundings. The room looked like an infirmary but with a Greek touch in it. It was all white with simple vases on the table to bring a bit of variation to it. Over to the right, Percy and Nico slowly stirred awake. They did not look the same somehow. Her vision was blurry and tried to adjust to the light so she could not make out Percy and Nico clearly.

'No blessing comes without a price' Hecate's voice echoed through the room snapping her out of her thoughts.

'What do you mean?' She said weakly, a horrible feeling was starting to build in her stomach. Something did not seem quite right.

Hecate fixed her with her eyes that looked abnormally worried and tired. 'To make this quest work, I had to turn you back into 11 years old kids' As soon as those words was uttered, Thalia felt like screaming. She remembered the horrible feeling as a tree, never aging as normally. Her hands were shaking badly, her eyes are closed yet she felt like shouting at Hecate. She knew that Percy and Nico felt the same too. Her insides were burning. She did not want to believe it. She took a glimpse and herself in the mirror that stood in the corner of the room. Her mouth dropped open in shock. Her hair was now less spiky than it was before. She was shorter and younger. She looked like the girl who was running away with Luke and later on Annabeth. She felt a pang in her chest. This could not have happened. She moaned to herself as she attempted to pray that this was a dream. She casted a look at Percy and Nico hoping to ctach their attention. It was useless; they were completely in a mess. Percy looked like he caught an infectious flu; Nico appeared paler than a ghost which was shocking because he usually look unnaturally pale.

Hecate sighed dramatically, 'Don't be so melodramatic. It only for this quest! No time will pass in the demigod world in this quest. There had been a disruption in the balance of the world therefore allowed me to meddle with some time' Nico narrowed his eyes and glared at the goddess.

'Why didn't you tell us before?' he hissed, he finally accepted that he was a 11 years old boy again. Nico immediately gulped fearfully at the goddess as he felt her gaze fixed on him.

'It would be obvious that you would refuse if I told you.' Hecate said indifferently. 'Now back to more important matters...' Thalia glared at Hecate. What could be more important than finding yourself suddenly turned back to tiny kids? '... Harry Potter will be attending his first year. I need you to blend in as normal wizards who will be attending Hogwarts. Do not get yourselves discovered, especially by the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. He is too bright. If anybody were to asked you of your parents, tell them that they had passed away and that I am your guardian. Are we clear?' She stared at each of them piercingly sending a shiver down Thalia's spine. Thalia's mouth hung slightly open as her mind drilled itself to the instructions given to them. Dead silence soon followed after Hecate's little speech. Then there were quick murmurs of 'Yes'.

'Good, now we shall wait.' Hecate seemed pleased with herself as she disappeared from sight. Confusion seemed to be a familiar thing now. What are they supposed to wait for?An owl landed on the window sill. It had brown feathers that looked glossy under the sun. The owl dropped each of them a strange letter and flew quickly away. Thalia gingerly opened the letter. There was a queasy feeling in her stomach. She slowly raised her eyes to look at the words which suddenly rearranged themselves into Greek. It read:

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY_

_Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore_  
_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

_Dear Ms Thalia Grace,_  
_We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find the enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._  
_Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall_  
_Deputy Headmistress_

Before Thalia had a chance to process the information, she heard a voice in her head that whispered, 'It's time'. She gasped in surprise and looked at Nico and Percy for help. They too looked unnerved by this. She was thrown in a swirl of black. She closed her eye and waited for the impact and she knew no more.


	3. The Goblin in Gringotts

Nico was not fine. He had a horrible headache that constantly reminded him of his pitiful state. This quest was probably going to be a bumpy ride. As he kept on falling, thousands of random thoughts ran through his mind. Was he going to die? No seemed to be the conclusion that he came up with. He was the son of the god of the underworld after all. He would had known if he was dying. As the thick mist dissipated, he saw an old pub. The door was worn and had a sickly brown colour. He heard sounds of laughter and people chattering away. It did not look like anything special yet a feeling in his gut told him that it was more important than it looked.

'Percy? Nico? Where are we?' Thalia called, she looked uncertain. Nico glanced around were on a typical road with busy people rushing to work. They did not give a glance at the pub that stood out-of-place. Abruptly, he heard a whisper inside his head. '_Welcome to London. You need to head to the place that keeps the money of all wizards. Ask the barman of the pub_' A key dropped from the sky and hit the ground with a loud thud. It was a golden key that sparkled under the sunlight. There was a ruby encrusted in it that had the shape of a 7 pointed star. '_Give this to them_' Give the key to who? He quickly pushed that thought out of his head. He will figure it out later. He turned to his friends and spoke:

'We're in London. Did you hear that voice?' Nico said quietly but firmly. He never felt so insecure. He always did everything alone. He used to have Bianca to look out for him but she had left him and became a Huntress then she passed away leaving forever. Of course, he blamed Percy at first but then he realised he was only blaming Bianca for leaving. Whenever he thought about Bianca, it made him felt like he was burning away again. The sound of Percy's voice snapped him out of his thought.

'You heard it too?' Percy looked shocked. Nico raised his eyebrow.

'You haven't figured out who it is?' Percy was so oblivious. Thalia snickered.

'You are so thick. No wonder why you are such a Seaweed Brain!' Thalia exclaimed while laughing at Percy's face.

Percy glared at Thalia in annoyance. 'Don't call me that, Pinecone Face'

Nico was laughing in amusement. It was hilarious to watch them fight. Nico jumped as he felt Thalia and Percy glares on him.

'What are laughing at, Corpse Breath?' Both of them yelled at him. Sparks was coming of Thalia's hair; bits of water was forming around Percy.

'Ok, ok. I'm sorry. Calm down.' The sparks stopped; The water dropped quickly.

'Um... So do you still know who was that voice?' Percy asked hesitantly. They busted out laughing.  
Thalia sighed, 'The voice was Hecate, Kelp Head!' She said it between her laughter. Nico chuckled at Percy's sheepish look.

'Lets us go inside, shall we?' Thalia said while dragging the two boys with her. She pushed the door open, a door bell rang loudly. It was small and shabby. There was a loud buzz of chatters in the background. An old man was smoking a long pipe in the corner. He had a pair of beady eyes that stared sharply at them. Nico quickly looked away and nudged Percy and Thalia to follow him. The barman was a very old man with white hair. He hobbled up to them.

'How may I help you?' Hecate mentioned that they should asked the barman for a place that keeps the wizard's money. What kind of place is that? Unless... The wizards needed a place to protect their money. In the human world, they had a lot banks to do that. Of course! Nico was smiling widely. Percy and Thalia looked at him weirdly.

'Do you perhaps know about a bank of some sort?' Nico asked.

'Why, of course. The one and only Gringotts!' The barman said gesturing wildly.

'Where might we find it?' Nico asked eagerly.

'Diagon Alley. Are you new students going to Hogwarts, perhaps?'

'Yes, how do we get there?' Ignoring the peculiar look the barman gave them.

'Follow me'

They quickly followed him until they met a brick wall. The man took out a stick that look like those typical wands wizard's used and started tapping the wall in a strange pattern. The bricks walls moved aside revealing a lively street. Nico felt like he was stepping in a secret world.

'Well that is where i am going to leave you. See that tall white building over there? That's Gringotts'

They quickly said their 'Thank you' before walking forward. Nico stared at the shops on both side. They were selling all kind of books shop. Thanks to Hecate charm they saw the signs rearranging themselves into Greek making it easier for them to read it. There was an apothecary shop, book shop and even a broom shop. He saw a group of kids crowded around a model of a broom. Their nose was pressed against the window staring at it in awe and whispered to each other. People was hurrying along the road, talking to each other. There was a shop that sold bat wings, asphodel and other sort of stuff that he could not had identified. Piles of books were stacked in another shop that was called Flourish and Blotts.

'How did you know?' Thalia said to his right.

'What?' Nico asked.

'Know that we had to find the Wizard's Bank'

'Yes, I was wondering about that too.' Percy agreed.

'Oh... Well it wasn't that hard. Hecate said that we needed to find a place that keeps all money and I thought that they would have a bank for it' Nico shrugged like it was no big deal. They carried on walking in silence.

'What do you think about this place?' Percy asked breaking the silence that Nico didn't notice was there in the first place.

'Um... I don't know. The wizards are a strange lot.' Nico answered absent-mindedly. Thalia nodded in agreement. It felt so foreign to Nico that they were having a normal conversation. All their lives it was dedicated to fighting and saving the world. It was true that this quest would also save the wizardry world but it was at a slower pace. There was no monster trying to kill them and it felt a lot more safe. Nico burned with envy as he looked at the families walking in the street and people who walked without a single care. They finally arrived at Gringotts. It was a tall and proud building that towered the other small shops. Nico could tell that it was made of chalk- white marbles and had a large bronze door that soon came into view as they walked up the steps. Two strange creatures stood at either side of the doors. They wore a scarlet and gold uniform that was neat and tidy. It had a narrow face with a long crooked nose and their eyes glinted cunningly. They were very short. Long, bony fingers opened the door for them. Nico once again was face with another sets of door. This time it was a shining silver door and on it had words engraved on it that said:

_Enter, stranger, but take heed_  
_Of what awaits the sin of greed_  
_For those who takes, but do not earn,_  
_Must pay dearly in their turn,_  
_So if you seek beneath our floors_  
_A treasure that was never yours,_  
_Thief, you have been warned, beware_  
_Of finding more than treasure there._

Nico shuddered as he read the words that still rang in his head. He heard Percy whispered 'They must be really strict' to Thalia who rolled her eyes. Another two of those strange creature bowed to them as they opened the door.

'What is that?' Thalia asked quietly. It was getting really annoying that they were clueless of a lot of things in the wizard's world.  
'I don't know' Nico shrugged.  
Inside was quite impressive, well, it wasn't as magnificent as Olympus. They walked into the vast marble hall. There was hundred of high stools and on it sat those strange creatures. People who were led by the strange creature was busy walking in and out of countless of doors. They were examining large glowing rubies, measuring gold using large brass scales, checking through a big books. They kept on walking staring at all angles. They made it for the counter.  
'Halt! What can I do for you?' The creature asked monotonously like he said it a million times.  
Nico started to freak, what were supposed to be doing here? At the right time Hecate whispered new instructions, '_You will need money to buy the equipment required in the shopping list. Show him the key. Follow your instincts you will find more than money in there_' With that Hecate became silent.  
'We're here to visit our vault.' Nico said.  
'Do you have your key?'  
'Um.. yes sir' Nico rummaged his pocket and brought out the key. The goblin took it and examined it closely. It brought it to its eye level and stroke its chin thoughtfully.  
'Very well, I will have someone bring you to your vault' The creature yelled at another one. 'Griphook, bring them to their vaults'  
He led them to the door furthest away from the counter. He opened the door for them. Nico was shocked. He expected it would look like the hallway but instead was a narrow passageway made of stone. There was flaming torches lit at either side of the passageway. Griphook whistled loudly. In the hollow place it echoed loudly through the tunnels. A red cart arrived as soon as Griphook whistled. They quickly climbed in. Suddenly Percy blurted , 'What are you?' Nico groaned this will anger Griphook. It glared at Percy. 'I'm a goblin, of course!'  
'Oh' was all Percy could had said. Nico felt slightly closer to home in this tunnel. Perhaps it was because it was underground or because it was so dark. Thalia and Percy looked slightly nauseous and green. They were out of their elements. The cart rattled as it came to a halt in front of a large door. Griphook gestured to them to get out of the cart. He unlocked the door and a thick mist came billowing out. It slowly cleared revealing columns of gold, heaps of silver and mountains of bronze. Nico stared at it in amazement. It was impressive first sight but being the son of Hades, he knew that this was not much compared to what he saw in the Underworld. Thalia and Percy stared at it in awe with their mouths wide open. 'This is ours?' Percy whispered to both. 'Yes' Nico mumbled under his breath. Nico gingerly picked up the gold coin. He brought to his eye level and examined it carefully. 'How much is this worth?' Nico directed his question to Griphook. The goblin snorted as if the answer was obvious. 'You, people, are strange wizards.' He eyed them suspiciously. A gust of wind blew and Griphook answered in a trance like way, 'The gold ones are Galleons, the silver ones are Sickles and the little bronze ones are Knuts. Seventeen silver to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle' Nico nodded yet he had a suspicion that Hecate had something to do with the goblin. He quickly filled his pouch with some of each pile and got ready to go outside. Thalia and Percy turned to follow him as well after filling their pouch with money. Where did they get the pouch? Nico did not know. It suddenly appeared in his hand although he had a suspicion that it was Hecate. They quickly walked out but as they drew near the cart Nico felt sick. He stumbled nearly hitting the ground. Percy quickly caught in which he tossed a grateful smile. 'Are you ok?' Percy asked in concern which made Thalia stopped in her track and turned around. His head throbbed and he heard a loud buzzing sound. It made him feel uneasy and weak. 'I'm ok' he muttered. Thalia looked at him disbelieving. Abruptly, he heard a rattling sound. He looked at the source and found that the cart was already moving with only Griphook on it.  
'Wait, wait!' Thalia cried as she sprinted after the cart but it already disappeared from their sight. Thalia cursed under her breath. Percy and Thalia turned to look at him.  
'What?' Nico cried. Why were they looking at him like that?  
'You're the son of Hades, isn't this place underground.' Percy said plainly. Oh. He surveyed the place carefully.  
'I think the cart went that way' Nico pointed to his left. Thalia nodded. They started to run in that direction. They passed countless of doors, pathways. Thalia came behind them and cried, 'Stop'. Percy looked at Thalia in confusion. 'Nico, do you know where we are going?'  
'No'  
'Just great' Percy said sarcastically. '_Vault 713_' Hecate's voice resonated suddenly making them jump.  
'What does that mean?' Percy asked.  
Vault 713. Nico looked around for the number 713. He noticed the door they were standing at had a sign that said 713. How could he be so stupid?  
'We're here'  
'What?' Thalia and Percy asked.  
'Look! There's the sign' He pointed a the number on top of the door. They walked towards it and examined it carefully. There was no keyhole. Nico tried to touch it and he felt the earth started to rumble loudly. He closed his eyes and waited for the ceiling to fall on top of him but its did not. The doors was opened. He expected it to look grand but it did not. There was cobwebs and the whole place gave a feeling that it was abandoned. He stumbled over something. There was a package on the floor.  
'Thalia, Percy, come and look at what I had found' He gestured to the package that he picked up. They crowded around it. He slowly, very slowly opened the package and found that there was a red crystal in it. Something about it made him uneasy. Suddenly he heard voices.  
'Well, Harry, we need to go to the You-Know-What vault' a deep burly voice buzzed.  
'What's in there?' a higher voice and definitely younger voice said who name is probably Harry. Harry... Nico thought that he heard the name somewhere before.  
'Can't tell ya, Dumbledore trusted me that'  
The footsteps started to grow louder and louder - _louder_. Nico glanced worriedly at Percy and Thalia. They both nodded at him in which he replied with a grim expression. They all bolted to the door dropping the package in the process and closing the door as quietly as they can. They ran like Hades was chasing them. A thin beam of light showered them with hope. A few more metres. Nico closed his eyes as they reached the light. They had escaped the underground. The darted outside not giving anyone a single glance. Nico told Percy and Thalia:

'Well that was something'


	4. The Wand Maker

Nico opened his eyes to see Percy already awake. There were dark circles under his eyes as if he didn't get any sleep. Almost everyone in the dormitory had left except for Ron and Harry who were still snoring in their beds. Percy's shoulders were slight sagged as if he was carrying a huge burden that was weighing him down. Nico only saw this look once and it was right before the Second Titan War. His fingers, slightly trembling, turned the pages of a book. Wait, a book? Nico rubbed his eyes just to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. When he realised he wasn't his jaw dropped, he stuttered, "You...You're reading a book." Percy looked up from the book.

"So, you're finally awake? And yes, I am looking at a book. I was trying to look for a potion that looked like what you both drank last night."

"You... You're" Nico pointed at the book with utter shock.

Percy raised eyebrows. "Yeah. Lets get Thalia and shut your mouth before the flies gets in." Percy stood up and left him to ponder on the scene he just witnessed. He paled drastically when he saw the clock next to him. He darted into the bathroom and got ready. He really didn't want to talk to the Headmaster again. There was something about the Headmaster that made him think that he was trying to dissect him to find out the truth. Soon, he was done and left a snoring Ron and Harry in the dormitory. He found that Thalia and Percy was already waiting for him outside. After a long silence, Percy finally spoke:

"You're glowing."

What? True to his words, he saw a faint glow around Thalia. It was a blue glow around her.

"Argh, Nico, you're glowing." Thalia screeched.

"You too!" He shot back instinctively. They paled as they stared at each other in shock.

With an unnaturally quiet voice, Thalia spoke: "I woke up feeling strange this morning, I could see unnaturally far away, even through the walls. Then it returned normal when I blinked my eyes" An unnerving silence followed that until Percy interrupted Thalia train of thought:

"Do you think it is because of the potions?"

"I think so." Nico said.

"Then if Thalia suddenly gained the ability to see clearly then what do you have?"

"I don't know." Nico muttered, annoyed that Thalia found out something before him.

They finally left the common room and headed for breakfast. In due time, they arrived at their first lesson, which was Transfiguration. The class entered quietly. Anxiousness hung thickly in the air. A young boy clumsily stumbled into his chair. They took their places next to him warily because the wizarding world still remained a mystery to them. They were curious to what the lesson would be like. A stern woman dressed in presentable emerald robes strided in the room. She glanced around the room, her austere expression still remained. Nico recognised her as the teacher who brought them in the Great Hall.

'Transfiguration is a difficult subject and requires lots of hard work-' she began. She transformed into a ginger cat wearing glasses. Strangely, the strict expression remained. Nico didn't know cats could have such a scary expression but it did. Suddenly the door broke apart. SLAM! There was Harry Potter and his gingerhead friend panting like rabid dogs looking like they had just ran thousands of miles. Nico cringed at the thought of what the professor would do to them. Professor McGonagall did not look in the slightest please by the scruffiness in which the two boys had presented themselves in. Fortunate for them, the professor did not issue harsh punishment however there was lots of whispering from the students who sat in the classroom and the nasty remark that Malfoy made did not help hide the embarrassment that Potter was dragged into.

'They should at least try to get to this class on time.' Thalia whispered, 'even we knew not to make a fool of ourselves and look at our school record!'

But in truth, Nico, Thalia and Percy was trying their best to not get expelled and with Hecate's promise that the monster would not be trailing after them everywhere, it gave some sort of an assurance that there would be a chance that they would survive or maybe even excell school. The thought of having some remotely normal as going to school gave Nico a warm feeling because it gave him a sort of structure in life, something to cling onto instead of the hectic and chaotic life he lived in. Nico quickly refocused his attention onto the lesson after the revelation dawned him that they could actually start a fresh, new start untouched by the horrors of a demigod's life.

They soon found out that Transfiguration was not all about transforming objects such as a pumpkin into a coach or mouses into footmen like in Cinderella. They started with turning matches into needles after witnessing the professor demonstration of turning the desk into a pig and then back. Nico decided that he did not want to get into the professor's bad side. He took his wand out from his pocket in his robe. The amber winked in the light. He imagined the match turning into needle. When he opened his eyes, he saw his match simply rolled to the side. Thalia had the same trouble too. Everyone did except for Hermione, which was to be expected, and … Percy. He seemed to have no trouble. Nico guessed it was probably because the nature of the sea which was ever changing and also Poseidon was the god who granted Periclymenus the gift of shape-shifting therefore Percy probably picked up a thing or two. Unfortunately for Percy, he had to sit next to Hermione who was busy badgering Percy with facts on Transfiguration and glaring at him whenever he did something that was right before her. Nico rubbed his head that girl changes her mood ever few seconds! As the class droned on, Nico found that he didn't really have much of an amplitude to the subject and left the class with an hybrid match-needle. The top was that of a match but the tail had successfully turned into a needle which was a huge progress compared to other people. It was strange that Hecate seemed to cut all contacts now that he thought about it. Recently, he found that he could not IM anyone from camp or in the Underworld in which did not help his mood. Now piled up with the freakish potion he accidentally drank and having to juggle school as well made him a tiny bit sour. After being dismissed by Professor McGonagall, Granger seemed to have clung onto Percy as they made their way to Potions.

The first that they faced was the sharp smell of Potions; it reminded him vaguely of the Hecate cabin. This was the subject that they were quite confident at because Lou Ellen-the daughter of Hecate- had forced them to learn potions. Now Nico was grateful for her insistence to make them learn despite their protests.

Professor Snape was a curious man. He wore black robes and seemed to despised Gryffindors with a passion and when it came to Slytherins he seemed to try to find an opportunity to grant them House points in which Nico found highly unfair. From the first moment Potter and Weasley walked in, he decided that he hated them and Nico did not know why. He took a seat next to Thalia and thought it was wiser to keep his mouth shut else the Professor decided to hate him too. After living with Percy for so long, he knew how terrible it was to make enemies especially in a place where you had no advantage over them. Poor Percy was stuck with Granger again it seemed to glued them both together. Nico snorted. It was just like when Annabeth first met Percy. She was drawn to him just like a moth caught in a light. Percy fidgeted nervously next to her as she blabbed on excessively about Potions and how excited she was. He seemed to have forced a smile on his face too kind to tell her to stop. Of course, Percy did not hate her nor disliked her as Percy was probably incapable to actually hate anyone with a passion. He meant Percy could not even bring himself to hate Ethan even though the kid seemed eager to kill him. Nico highly doubt he could be like Percy but then again it was a flaw every Hades' child seemed to suffer; the capability to hold a grudge for a very long time. A expected drone snapped Nico out of his musings.

"Potions is a subject that requires precision, sharpness of the mind-" Granger sat up straighter looking eagerly at the Professor, "I can teach how to brew potions that bring luck to the unluckiest of people or even a potion that could heal the deadliest of wounds if you aren't as dimwitted as I expected-" At this point Granger seemed to have almost risen out of her seat staring eagerly at the Professor with pride in her eyes.

"Sit down." Percy muttered tugging at her robes lightly before she made a fool of herself. She sat down quickly, face blushing brightly. Nico had to repressed a chuckle to himself as he watched the comedy of the situation.

"Potter!" Snape snapped. Potter was too busy writing down something before receiving a sharp nudge from Granger who glared at him warningly. Bad move. Potter seemed to have a knack at annoying this teacher without doing anything. He felt slight pity towards Potter.

"Our new celebrity-"Snape grimaced as if it was the worst thing in the universe, "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Potter replied, "I don't know, sir." as he shot Weasley a confused look who just shrugged. Nearby Malfoy snickered with his friends, Crabbe and Goyle. Nico shot them a dark look; he hated bullies. Granger waved her hand in the air but the Professor ignored her as if she wasn't there. After a few more questions was fired at Potter who sank lower and lower into his chair and Granger looked like she was going to burst by waving her hand in the air. Before, she finally blurted out an answer in which Snape glared at her. She sank into her chair as well.

"5 points from Gryffindor for talking out of order and lack of preparation before coming to class." Snape resumed speaking to the class before setting them to work. Nico opened his Potions book to the page about potions for curing boils. As expected the three of them found Potions a breeze. They were tutored by a daughter of Hecate after all. Nico was grateful for the charm Hecate casted on their eye which allowed them to see English words translated into Ancient Greek.

"Ms Grace, you are stirring a little too fast." Snape snapped as he walked passed them. He knew Thalia hated being called Grace; clenched her spoon tightly. He shot her a look as if to say "control yourself".

Bang! The sound resonated across the room making Nico jump. Neville Longbottom had ruined his first potions. The boy struck Nico as clumsy and slow and unfortunately he was right. Though that did not question his loyalty towards his friends.

"Stand up, foolish boy! 10 points from Gryffindor!" Snape dragged a shakened Longbottom away from the mess but not before he muttered "Evanesco!" - a vanishing spell. They were soon dismissed afterward. Thalia and Nico headed for the common room trying to figure out what the potions did to them leaving a bewildered Percy dragged off by Granger. Percy shot them a glare before he disappeared from their sight.

As they walked down the corridors, he tripped over and fell towards the wall. He closed his eyes waiting for impact but it never came. He went through the wall, well... half of his body did which meant... he was stuck in it. He freaked out, not knowing what to do.

"Holy Hades! Nico, you're... you..." Thalia stammered not knowing what to do. Calm down, Nico. Think! He imagined himself falling backwards and out the wall. It didn't work! He swallowed; face gradually growing paler and paler and tried again. His breathing grew shallower as his hands trembled. He tried to control his nerves but no avail. Just when he thought he was going to be stuck in the wall forever. It worked and he found himself falling backwards onto Thalia who tumbled onto the floor.

"We need to control these abilities." Thalia exclaimed, "What if you got stuck in a wall again? And in front of people!" It finally dawned to him the severity of the situation.

"Right." Nico said shakily as he stumbled back into the Common Room with Thalia equally shakened. "Right." he mumbled and buried his face in the couch.

"What got you so shaken up?" asked Weasley. Nico shot him a dark look before muttering a "Nothing".

"Whatever!" snapped Weasley heading towards the door with Potter.

"Where are you going?" asked Thalia from the couch close to the fireplace.

"Hagrid's place." replied Potter in a friendlier tone.

"The Keeper?"

"Yeah."

"Oh." said Thalia returning to stare at the fire. He wondered what Percy is doing.


	5. Harry Potter

Thalia hated this quest. Her dreams started to haunt her again that night. It started off with Luke's death then slowly turned to a normal looking house. It was a typical day. She noticed a an owl landing on the window sill. Then the place evaporated and she found herself in a kitchen room. There was photos of a chubby boy with a huge man and a thin woman wrapped around his shoulders. She realised that there was people sitting on the white wooden table. A woman with curly brown hair in pink. She was really thin, you could had almost saw her bones. A beaky nose crinkled and her face turned into a frown making her facing even longer. The man next reading the newspaper was the exact opposite. He had a tuft of blonde hair and a moustache. His face was pink and puffy like he had a very bad week. He was very round. The boy who sat next to him was exactly like him but much younger and without a moustache. She choked in disgust. This was part of the reason why she joined the Hunters; well aside from the fact that she did not want to be the prophesied child but that was a story for another time. A thin boy with round glasses that looked like it was broken multiples times. He had green eyes and black hair. She noticed that there was a lightning scar on his forehead. His hair was cut so that it would fall over the scar, it was like as if someone wanted to hide the scar. The most intriguing thing was that he looked like he was anticipating something to arrive. Suddenly the man spoke in an irritating tone:

'No posts on Sunday' He looked very happy which at first Thalia thought it was a good thing but then she saw Harry's reaction and she knew that perhaps it wasn't such a good thing after all. 'No damn letters -' What letters was he talking about? Abruptly, thirty letters came whizzing out of the chimney. The man face changed from red to purple then stopped at ashen grey.

He hollered in a loud voice, 'Out! OUT!' Thalia jumped trying to avoid being impaled by the letters that shooted out of the chimney like bullets. The man grabbed the thin boy and threw him outside with the other boy and the woman following behind. Thalia manage to catch a glimpse of the letters that was relentlessly attacking the family. Her eyes widened. It was the letter to Hogwarts. Everything went black.

Thalia woke up feeling a bit groggy. She yawned widely and stretched. She dragged herself to the bathroom to get dress. As soon as she left the bathroom a sandwich was carelessly dumped onto her lap. She glared at Nico feeling electricity sparked off her hair. Nico, unfazed, shrugged and said:

'Hurry up, we need to get going. Even Percy is awake and ready to go. You know he is not a morning person.'

'Why didn't you wake me up?'

'We couldn't. You were tossing and mumbling something about letters'

At the mention of letter, Thalia remembered her strange dream. She entered the white room with Percy ,who lied on the bed and stared at the ceiling. She munched on her sandwich and told them of her dream. Percy looked troubled. There was a long silence before Percy spoke:

'It could be anyone in the wizarding world' Thalia didn't know what to say so she left the subject alone. Again, a swirl of green tossed them back into England. This time they were in a place that looked like a train station. They saw a black sign that read, 'King Cross Station'. Ping! The ticket they saw last night appeared however this time there was a note attached to it. It said:

'Keep your demigod identity hidden.

Your quest truly begins here.

_Hecate'

Thalia was furious was an understatement. How much does Hecate expect of them? They quickly checked the ticket it said that they need to board Platform Nine and Three - Quarters. They saw Platform 9 and 10. There was no Platform 9 ¾! There was only brick wall in between. Suddenly she saw a group of redheads. There were two boys who were identical, a small boy and a little girl. The older woman walked in front of them. She mildly heard the pair of twin bickering. They looked like a normal family until... one of them walked right through the wall! She jumped back in shock and glanced at Percy and Nico. They looked as shocked she was.

'Lets try it' Percy said staring at the brick wall like it was going to eat him up.

'Are you crazy?' Thalia snapped. They were going to be squashed flat by the impact.

'Do you have any better idea?' Percy snapped, clearly annoyed.

'Fine but you go first.' Thalia replied. She stared bewildered as Percy pushed the trolley into the wall. He was gone! Thalia looked at Nico who stared at her right back not knowing what to think. 1, 2, 3... She pushed the trolley into the wall. Next to her stumbled Nico. Percy was already waiting for them.

'Come on, the train is about to go' Percy said gesturing to the train. They rushed inside, still dazed, to find a compartment. There was only one left.

Inside was a boy with red hair, freckles and a black smudge on his nose. Thalia sniffed disdainfully. A boy, she thought. She vaguely recognised him as the small boy in that family she had seen earlier. Next to the redhead was a boy she had seen in her dreams. She nudged Nico and Percy. She whispered just low enough that the redhead and the boy from her dream wouldn't hear:

'That's the boy... the boy from my dream' Thalia muttered.

'Could we sit down? The other compartment are full' Thalia said, irritation barely kept from her voice. The boys stared at them in shock and contemplation and mumbled some kind of yes. Thalia stomped and sat on the seat furthest away from them. The boy with the round glasses introduced himself.

'Hi, my name is Harry Potter and you are?'

'Thalia'

'Nico'

'Percy'

They said it all at once and shrugged carelessly. The redhead said his name was Ronny, Ronald, um... Ron, I think. Ron's eyes widened in surprise.

"Do you know who he is?" Ron asked, bewildered.

Thalia raised her eyebrows, what was the matter with this boy?

"He's Harry, isn't he?" Percy bluntly said, he scratched his head in confusion.

"That's the boy who lived" Ron said gesturing to Harry. The poor boy was shaking his head violently kicking Ron's shin warning him not to say anything.

Thalia opened her mouth when- A girl bursted in the compartment making Nico jumped out of his sleep. Nico glared at the girl. Thalia couldn't blame him, she would be irritated too.

"Hi, my name is Hermione Granger, I heard that Harry Potter was in this compartment." She said this all really quickly. Percy blinked back, probably trying to figure out what she said.

"What gave you the right to barge into this compartment?" Ron spluttered outrageously.

The girl ignored him. Thalia noticed that she had bushy brown hair and very large front teeth. She reminded her of the kind of people who spends all day in the library. She, however, is very different to Annabeth although they both looked intelligent.

The girl ignored Ron's pointed look and rounded on Harry. " You must be Harry, right? I read so much about you. You are almost in every contemporary books." Harry looked overwhelmed by the amount of information the girl just fired at Harry.

"I am in... books?" Harry said, shocked. Ron carried on glaring at her, it was obvious that he did not like her at all.

"And you are?" Hermione questioned Ron who glared at her.

"Ron Weasley" he snapped.

"You have a black smudge on your nose, did you know?" she said, "And, did you see Neville's toads. He lost it again."

"No" Ron snapped grumpily, rubbing his nose.

Hermione turned to leave them when she turned around, "You should wear your uniform now, we're nearly there." she turned around and flounced off.

Percy, Nico and Thalia looked at each other and bursted out laughing. The look on both Harry's and Ron's face was priceless. A lady with the trolley with mountains of sweets and treats knocked on their compartment's door.

"Would you like to buy some?" the lady said.

Nico hopped off and bought a chocolate frog. He waved them in their face until Thalia couldn't stand it anymore and slapped his hand away. Nico glared; Percy laughed loudly. Ron and Harry started at us as if we just fell out of the sky. Harry went to buy some treats. He came back with a load. Ron started at his pitiful sandwich he took out. Nico ripped the package. The chocolate frog jumped onto Nico's face. Smack! He toppled out of his seat.

"Oof" Nico mumbled. Percy and Thalia chuckled in amusement.

"My frog!" Nico protested as Thalia caught it and ate it. She laughed at Nico's face, it was hilarious.

They overheard Ron said, "It's the cards that you want..."

Percy took Nico's package and took out the card, it read:

"Nicolas Flamel (c. 1327 - c. 1992) was a well-known alchemist and only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary substance with incredible powers."

Thalia shrugged as Nico stuffed it in his pocket.

"The picture disappeared!" Harry said in wonder. They looked over, it didn't surprised them that much. If gods could be real, so does animated pictures that could leave whenever it want.

"What did you expect?" Ron said nonchalantly. Harry eyes widened as a castle loomed closer and closer to them. The castle was magnificent. It was tall and proud. It rung with ancient wisdom from the age of the castle. They craned their neck to see the higher tower. It was amazing!

"Hogwarts" Percy breathed quietly.


	6. An Introduction to the Headmaster

There was a peculiar man who stood in one of the high towers of the castle; he wore a half mooned spectacles and a long blue robe that draped across his shoulders. He had a long silvery white beard that matched his hair. His twinkling blue eye pierced into the souls of anybody who faced him; it was like he could read their souls. Perhaps, the strangest thing was when he took a long stick and gave it flick. Soon, the pile of paper on his desk was swept up and organised neatly on his desk. He was smiling genuinely leaning against the window with his hands. He looked upon the group of childrens on the little boats moving closer and closer to Hogwarts. With that, he gathered up his robes and made his way down to the Great Hall. Perfectly timed as always, he arrived at the hall just right before the older students started to file in. He sat down at the chair in the middle of teachers' table and waited for the new students to enter. He found his mind drifting towards a boy named Harry Potter. Dumbledore remembered how Hagrid flew with a flying motorbike from the Potter's home to his aunt and uncle's. He remembered very clearly how he placed the letter with baby Harry. Harry was now old enough to attend Hogwarts. Dumbledore, like every year, found him listening to the Sorting Hat.

_"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve and chivalry,_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true,_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_If you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin,_

_Where you'll meet your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means,_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For a Thinking Cap."_

He anticipated for the sorting of the new students. A few students was sorted. Professor McGonagall read, "Potter, Harry". A hush of silence fell over the normally chattering hall. Professor Dumbledore found himself sitting up straighter and leaned more onto the table in a useless attempt to make sure he didn't miss it. There was a loud announcement: "GRYFFINDOR" Curious, very curious indeed. It seemed to be the same house as Harry's father. Suddenly a group of new students caught his attention. They were all sorted in Gryffindor. The first boy was extremely pale as if he never been in the light. He had onyx black hair and the bottomless black eyes that seemed to look like shadows are moving in them. He raised his eyebrows as he saw the girl next to his punched him but he chose not to say anything. She had black spiky hair that was short and electric blue eyes that seemed to shock everything she looked at. Her eyes resembled the sky itself when there was a thunderstorm. The last boy had raven black hair and sea green eyes. His eyes was as changeable as the sea itself. One minute it looked like waves crashing against the shores next it was a serene and glittering sea then it was darkened until it glinted grey like as if there was a storm brewing. The boy's eyes was the most defined and strange eyes he had ever seen. There was no doubt they were strange and easily stood out. They all had black hair, athletic and high cheekbones that gave them a foreign and royal look. The most curious thing about them was that they all had a intense regal and commanding air around them that he had never seen in a eleven year old. They reminded him of ancient kings and queens. Yes, that was right. There was definitely an ancient aura around them that seemed much older than him yet it seemed much more suppressed like it was trying to hide itself. Dumbledore was curious. He fixed his spectacles and leant closer to their direction. They sat there like they knew where they belonged in this. Their shoulders was slightly tensed and their eyes was darting around the room as if nervous however it was not the same nervousness that a normal student would have.

Dumbledore felt a light tap. He looked up at and saw Professor McGonagall's pointed look. He stood up to give his short opening speech and warned about the 3rd floor. They had taken precaution to move the stone to Hogwarts. Dumbledore knew that Voldemort had not yet disappeared completely. He had to make carefully plan to ensure that the stone would not be used as an advantage to Voldemort. His suspicion was confirmed when a few days later he heard about Gringotts break in. Luckily, Hagrid had already took it out that day.

Dumbledore observed the three unusual students. They whispered to each other quietly and secretly. They were alike in so many ways that Dumbledore would had said they were somehow related. Cousins, perhaps? He noticed that they had not touched the food once. They were sipping some water but apart from that their plates remained empty. They were all glancing at each other and then glanced at the food, Was there a problem with the food? Something inside of Dumbledore, more like a gut feeling, knew he had to be cautious with these students. They were definitely not normal. Dumbledore then turned his attention to Harry who sat insecurely with his friends. 'Another Weasley?' he thought amusedly. He saw Harry stare at the food in wonder. Harry was very skinny. he had his mother's almond green eyes and jet black hair. He wore round glasses. Dumbledore had a hunch that one day Harry will grow up to be just as brave as his parents. Yes, Harry will grow up to become great. Dumbledore didn't know how right he was.

Soon, the students started to file out in four groups led by the head students. As the clocks struck for the 21st time this day, Dumbledore strolled across the hallway. He heard quick whispers somewhere to the right. He quickly turned and found the three strange students. They were trying to enter the Gryffindor common room.

'It is all your fault, Nico' snapped the girl.

The pale boy, who he assumed was Nico, responded with a glare, 'You were the one who decided to-'

'Shush! Someone's coming' The boy to Nico's right sharply whispered. They froze.

'What is the matter here' Dumbledore intoned sternly peering at them through his glasses. They gulped and slightly inched back.

'Um... you see...' Nico stammered.

'He has forgotten the password' she snapped, there was an irritated look on her face.

'Surely the others would have remembered?' Dumbledore said reasonably. A fleeting look of guilt passed through the girl and the other boy. Dumbledore continued to gaze at them sternly. Something about them unnerved him. There was this feeling ,that Dumbledore could not place, that hung thickly in the air. He felt very out of breathe even though he had not walked that far. The three students shuffled and mumbled to each other.

'Your names?' Dumbledore hummed.

'Thalia'

'Nico'

'Percy'

'Come' He quickly turned away and started to walk to his office. He fully expected them to follow him - and they did.

They stopped at the stone gargoyles.

'Acid Pops' he murmured.

They entered his office. The three students glanced around it in awe. They marveled at circular room. There was many paintings and many windows. The room felt alive. There was a wooden table in which had spindly tables with strange silver instruments. There was a red and golden feathered bird that settled near the table. Behind it, stood a great collection of books that reached the ceiling.

'Sit' Dumbledore said quietly. He took the chair behind the table. The students slowly sat down, shoulders tensed.

'Why were you out so late?' Dumbledore said while shuffling a few pieces of paper to find the report about them. Hmm... There were simply first names and no last names. Their guardian was named Hecate. How peculiar!

'We were out trying to... explore the castle.' Percy said. Dumbledore immediately picked up Percy's hesitant. He raised his eyebrows.

'Do you have anything else to tell me?' he used the tone that he always used on students who got into trouble. They usually confessed afterwards however, in this case, it didn't work. The three students stared blankly at him wiping off any emotion. It was as though they were used to these kind of situations.

'I would strongly advise you to tell me, if anything is troubling you' Dumbledore urged quietly as he peered at them through his half-mooned spectacles.

'Why are we not allowed to go to the third floor?' Nico blurted out in a hurry. Percy and Thalia gave a sharp kick and glared. 'Why did you say that?' Thalia whispered harshly. Nico shrugged and looked away.

'What?' Dumbledore spun around in surprise. Whatever he had originally expected flew out the windows instantly. Whatever he was expecting, it was definitely not that.

'Um.. Nico, here, was asking why is the third floor is out of bounds?' Percy stammered and eyed Dumbledore cautiously. His shoulder was tense and he shifted himself into a defensive stance. This was silently noted by the Headmaster. Hmm... they seemed to act like fighters. Strange indeed.

'Whatever is there, I would advise you not to look further into,' Dumbledore said mysteriously, ' I would remind that severe punishments would be handed if you three are found outside of bed or on the third floor.'

They quickly glanced at each other and then looked up at Professor Dumbledore.

'Now off to bed with you lots.' said Dumbledore waving them off, 'I expect you on time for your lessons tomorrow.'

They slowly trotted out of the office in which turned into a quick run. Dumbledore sighed and dropped onto his chair rubbing his forehead. These students are impossible! They were very strange. He needed to look into this. He felt very unsettled. He moved over to one of the windows and gazed outside. The water in the lake was still; the full moon shone its incandescent light on the water and shimmered extraordinarily. There was a strange feeling that hung in the air; the wind sung a haunting melody. It was like the winds was trying to warn him of the obstacles they were going to face. _'Beware...'_ a voice rasped. Dumbledore jumped and tensed there was no one. '_Trust them..._' the voice once again rasped. He pulled his wand out quickly. He spotted a pair of neon green eyes floating in mid air outside. It seemed to be looking right at him. He blinked again. It faded into the darkness. His heart was thumping hard. His eye was darting around; his grip on the wand doubled. A minute ticked by, Dumbledore relaxed slightly but he still had his wand out. He let out a long breathe.

The wizarding world will never be the same again. Dumbledore did not know how right he was.


	7. The First Step

Thalia and Nico nibbled a piece of meat slowly. It was as though they were in a trance. Their minds whirled with unanswered questions. Suddenly Nico dropped his spoon. Percy snapped awake in shock. His face was pale than usual. He was breathing heavily. Soon after that, Thalia followed. They tried their best to hide it but it was difficult. They mouthed, "Poison". Percy eyes widened in shock and dropped his fork immediately. Luckily he did not eat a single thing yet. Hermione raised her eyebrows weirdly at them and continued to speak to Percy-Percy Weasley about Transfiguration. Ron muttered with a mouth full of food, "Are you ok?"

"Yes" Thalia snapped at him while glaring at him. Ron tried to glare back but under the heat of Thalia's glare he turned away scowling to himself. The dinner droned on for a long time until they were dismissed. They nearly bolted out the door until they caught themselves.

It was an amazing castle, Percy thought. There was thousands of moving paintings. Each seemed to have its own story, its own mind. The paintings talked to each other, Percy realised. Of course they were talking to each other, Percy thought sarcastically. Talking paintings was an extremely ordinary thing, right? Percy practically jumped when a painting of a man near him spoke, 'Did you hear that, Harry Potter is in Hogwarts'. He muttered something under his breath about nosy paintings. Out of nowhere, a translucent figure started flying towards them. It chuckled and started to throw things around; stealing things. 'New students!' It said gleefully. There was many shrieks and shouting going on. A ghost. Percy had seen countless of ghosts before however what makes this so shocking was that it was not in the Underworld. Of course, he had seen Nico's summonings but it is highly unlikely that there would actually be someone summoning ghosts in a wizard's castle. The ghost hovered for a while until Percy W. called it away using a threat of someone called the Bloody Baron in which Percy assumed was another ghost. Boy, Nico did not look happy even if he is sickly pale.

Thalia and Nico dragged him in the Gryffindor common room. It was an comfortable room. The roaring fire reminded Percy of Hestia. It made him feel warm all over. He caught a vague whiff of chocolate cookies that made him close him in wonder. He loved his family with every fibre of his being. There was pictures of majestic lions everywhere form banners to flags. Red and gold filled the place. In the middle, stood couches that was also red that looked really comfortable.

Percy saw a strange full moon staring at him; it almost seemed foreboding. A strange vision replaced the common room. There was a large golden mirror that shimmered at the back of the room. Another flashed and he saw a blood red stone glimmering at him almost beckoning him to take it. Then it took him to a room with a high arc. There was a large snake with long sharp fangs posed ready to attack him. The vision took him next to something that looked vaguely like a prison. There was a hooded black figure guarding a small cell. Percy did not get a good look at the figure but he could tell that it was a man. With a blinding white light he traveled to a graveyard. It looked eerily evil. Afterwards he found a room full of glass balls. The room was trembling and suddenly the glass balls exploded in front of his very eyes. It took him to outside of Hogwarts but there was something different about the school. Above it loomed a strange symbol that Percy did not recognise. There was a skull with a snake wrapped around it. Percy suddenly found himself falling into another Hogwarts. There was piles of rubbles; people screaming; cries for their love ones. Percy felt himself grow pale at the image. He heard three rasping voice in his head that will haunt him to the end of this journey. "You can change it. You have the power of the Fates to change this. But heed this, for what you have change shall affect the very fragile fabric of cannot save them all but with every life you save there is a price you must pay. As a true hero of Legends, we entrust you with the power of the future and may it guide you so. Beware Perseus Jackson. Beware of this power." "Percy" a sharp call of his name jolted him awake. Percy decided to push the vision to the back of his mind and not to think of it further. Thalia glared at him and doubled over in pain.

They carefully waited until all of the Gryffindors went to bed. Thalia was gripping onto the conch for her dear life until her knuckles turned white. With the warm glow from the fireplace, he thought that Thalia looked like a ghost. Not to mention Nico who laid sprawl on the conch. Percy, Thalia and Nico finally decided to head out and find a cure to this 'poison'. It was better than nothing. Just their luck, they had to run into the Headmaster which set them into a worse mood. Percy would like to say that the Headmaster was just a simple old mortal and there was nothing to be worried about but he knew he was kidding himself. Something about the Headmaster put him on edge. He knew that this Headmaster would be able figure out their secrets. They needed to be more cautious. They returned to the common after their fruitless efforts to find a cure to the poison. Where was ambrosia and nectar when you needed it? When Percy entered the common room, he smelt a strong smell of chocolate cookies combined with a smell of-was that potions? Percy glanced over to the fireplace and found three strange looking vials. There was a small dragon curled around the lid that glinted strangely. He picked up the vials and examined it carefully. The vials appeared to be made out of crystals that sparkled under the gentle glow of the fire. Each of the miniature dragons had different gem embedded in its eye that glinted wickedly. Could this possibly the cure? Or could it be poison? Thalia and Nico snatched the two with the sapphire and amber which left the one with the aquamarine in his hands.

"Wait... It could be poison." Percy warned.

Thalia, clutching her stomach, muttered, "I have a feeling that it is not."

They drank the vial down excluding Percy who pocketed it into his pocket. Percy stopped breathing when Nico and Thalia suddenly froze. A minute ticked by before they gave a breathe of relief. Their shoulders relaxed.

"I feel so much better." Nico said. They nodded to each other and finally went to bed each extremely tired. It seemed that Hypnos took mercy in them today as they were blessed with a dreamless sleep. In Percy minds, it was full of his vision. He feared for the life he saw in it and had a feeling that this price he had to pay for saving him a more terrible than he imagined. Percy feared for his sanity for dwelling more into this therefore he did a sensible thing and tried forget it but for all efforts it kept nagging him. He felt that he could not confide with Nico and Thalia in this. A guilty feeling fell in the pits of his stomach. As strange as it seemed, Percy knew that this was not Hecate but a power more ancient than that. He drifted off to sleep with a sweet melody of a Latin lullaby in his head even though he did not notice the lullaby.

The moon looked down at them glowing a divine glow. They used to look at it in America but now looking at it in a different sky sent a strange feeling down at them. They knew that the wizarding world was apart of them. Little by little as the cold rays of moonlight shone upon Thalia and Nico, there was traces a strange glow emanating from them and changes was starting to appear.


	8. One, Two, Three Here we go!

Nico opened his eyes to see Percy already awake. There were dark circles under his eyes as if he didn't get any sleep. Almost everyone in the dormitory had left except for Ron and Harry who were still snoring in their beds. Percy's shoulders were slight sagged as if he was carrying a huge burden that was weighing him down. Nico only saw this look once and it was right before the Second Titan War. His fingers, slightly trembling, turned the pages of a book. Wait, a book? Nico rubbed his eyes just to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. When he realised he wasn't his jaw dropped, he stuttered, "You...You're reading a book." Percy looked up from the book.

"So, you're finally awake? And yes, I am looking at a book. I was trying to look for a potion that looked like what you both drank last night."

"You... You're" Nico pointed at the book with utter shock.

Percy raised eyebrows. "Yeah. Lets get Thalia and shut your mouth before the flies gets in." Percy stood up and left him to ponder on the scene he just witnessed. He paled drastically when he saw the clock next to him. He darted into the bathroom and got ready. He really didn't want to talk to the Headmaster again. There was something about the Headmaster that made him think that he was trying to dissect him to find out the truth. Soon, he was done and left a snoring Ron and Harry in the dormitory. He found that Thalia and Percy was already waiting for him outside. After a long silence, Percy finally spoke:

"You're glowing."

What? True to his words, he saw a faint glow around Thalia. It was a blue glow around her.

"Argh, Nico, you're glowing." Thalia screeched.

"You too!" He shot back instinctively. They paled as they stared at each other in shock.

With an unnaturally quiet voice, Thalia spoke: "I woke up feeling strange this morning, I could see unnaturally far away, even through the walls. Then it returned normal when I blinked my eyes" An unnerving silence followed that until Percy interrupted Thalia train of thought:

"Do you think it is because of the potions?"

"I think so." Nico said.

"Then if Thalia suddenly gained the ability to see clearly then what do you have?"

"I don't know." Nico muttered, annoyed that Thalia found out something before him.

They finally left the common room and headed for breakfast. In due time, they arrived at their first lesson, which was Transfiguration. The class entered quietly. Anxiousness hung thickly in the air. A young boy clumsily stumbled into his chair. They took their places next to him warily because the wizarding world still remained a mystery to them. They were curious to what the lesson would be like. A stern woman dressed in presentable emerald robes strided in the room. She glanced around the room, her austere expression still remained. Nico recognised her as the teacher who brought them in the Great Hall.

'Transfiguration is a difficult subject and requires lots of hard work-' she began. She transformed into a ginger cat wearing glasses. Strangely, the strict expression remained. Nico didn't know cats could have such a scary expression but it did. Suddenly the door broke apart. SLAM! There was Harry Potter and his gingerhead friend panting like rabid dogs looking like they had just ran thousands of miles. Nico cringed at the thought of what the professor would do to them. Professor McGonagall did not look in the slightest please by the scruffiness in which the two boys had presented themselves in. Fortunate for them, the professor did not issue harsh punishment however there was lots of whispering from the students who sat in the classroom and the nasty remark that Malfoy made did not help hide the embarrassment that Potter was dragged into.

'They should at least try to get to this class on time.' Thalia whispered, 'even we knew not to make a fool of ourselves and look at our school record!'

But in truth, Nico, Thalia and Percy was trying their best to not get expelled and with Hecate's promise that the monster would not be trailing after them everywhere, it gave some sort of an assurance that there would be a chance that they would survive or maybe even excell school. The thought of having some remotely normal as going to school gave Nico a warm feeling because it gave him a sort of structure in life, something to cling onto instead of the hectic and chaotic life he lived in. Nico quickly refocused his attention onto the lesson after the revelation dawned him that they could actually start a fresh, new start untouched by the horrors of a demigod's life.

They soon found out that Transfiguration was not all about transforming objects such as a pumpkin into a coach or mouses into footmen like in Cinderella. They started with turning matches into needles after witnessing the professor demonstration of turning the desk into a pig and then back. Nico decided that he did not want to get into the professor's bad side. He took his wand out from his pocket in his robe. The amber winked in the light. He imagined the match turning into needle. When he opened his eyes, he saw his match simply rolled to the side. Thalia had the same trouble too. Everyone did except for Hermione, which was to be expected, and … Percy. He seemed to have no trouble. Nico guessed it was probably because the nature of the sea which was ever changing and also Poseidon was the god who granted Periclymenus the gift of shape-shifting therefore Percy probably picked up a thing or two. Unfortunately for Percy, he had to sit next to Hermione who was busy badgering Percy with facts on Transfiguration and glaring at him whenever he did something that was right before her. Nico rubbed his head that girl changes her mood ever few seconds! As the class droned on, Nico found that he didn't really have much of an amplitude to the subject and left the class with an hybrid match-needle. The top was that of a match but the tail had successfully turned into a needle which was a huge progress compared to other people. It was strange that Hecate seemed to cut all contacts now that he thought about it. Recently, he found that he could not IM anyone from camp or in the Underworld in which did not help his mood. Now piled up with the freakish potion he accidentally drank and having to juggle school as well made him a tiny bit sour. After being dismissed by Professor McGonagall, Granger seemed to have clung onto Percy as they made their way to Potions.

The first that they faced was the sharp smell of Potions; it reminded him vaguely of the Hecate cabin. This was the subject that they were quite confident at because Lou Ellen-the daughter of Hecate- had forced them to learn potions. Now Nico was grateful for her insistence to make them learn despite their protests.

Professor Snape was a curious man. He wore black robes and seemed to despised Gryffindors with a passion and when it came to Slytherins he seemed to try to find an opportunity to grant them House points in which Nico found highly unfair. From the first moment Potter and Weasley walked in, he decided that he hated them and Nico did not know why. He took a seat next to Thalia and thought it was wiser to keep his mouth shut else the Professor decided to hate him too. After living with Percy for so long, he knew how terrible it was to make enemies especially in a place where you had no advantage over them. Poor Percy was stuck with Granger again it seemed to glued them both together. Nico snorted. It was just like when Annabeth first met Percy. She was drawn to him just like a moth caught in a light. Percy fidgeted nervously next to her as she blabbed on excessively about Potions and how excited she was. He seemed to have forced a smile on his face too kind to tell her to stop. Of course, Percy did not hate her nor disliked her as Percy was probably incapable to actually hate anyone with a passion. He meant Percy could not even bring himself to hate Ethan even though the kid seemed eager to kill him. Nico highly doubt he could be like Percy but then again it was a flaw every Hades' child seemed to suffer; the capability to hold a grudge for a very long time. A expected drone snapped Nico out of his musings.

"Potions is a subject that requires precision, sharpness of the mind-" Granger sat up straighter looking eagerly at the Professor, "I can teach how to brew potions that bring luck to the unluckiest of people or even a potion that could heal the deadliest of wounds if you aren't as dimwitted as I expected-" At this point Granger seemed to have almost risen out of her seat staring eagerly at the Professor with pride in her eyes.

"Sit down." Percy muttered tugging at her robes lightly before she made a fool of herself. She sat down quickly, face blushing brightly. Nico had to repressed a chuckle to himself as he watched the comedy of the situation.

"Potter!" Snape snapped. Potter was too busy writing down something before receiving a sharp nudge from Granger who glared at him warningly. Bad move. Potter seemed to have a knack at annoying this teacher without doing anything. He felt slight pity towards Potter.

"Our new celebrity-"Snape grimaced as if it was the worst thing in the universe, "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Potter replied, "I don't know, sir." as he shot Weasley a confused look who just shrugged. Nearby Malfoy snickered with his friends, Crabbe and Goyle. Nico shot them a dark look; he hated bullies. Granger waved her hand in the air but the Professor ignored her as if she wasn't there. After a few more questions was fired at Potter who sank lower and lower into his chair and Granger looked like she was going to burst by waving her hand in the air. Before, she finally blurted out an answer in which Snape glared at her. She sank into her chair as well.

"5 points from Gryffindor for talking out of order and lack of preparation before coming to class." Snape resumed speaking to the class before setting them to work. Nico opened his Potions book to the page about potions for curing boils. As expected the three of them found Potions a breeze. They were tutored by a daughter of Hecate after all. Nico was grateful for the charm Hecate casted on their eye which allowed them to see English words translated into Ancient Greek.

"Ms Grace, you are stirring a little too fast." Snape snapped as he walked passed them. He knew Thalia hated being called Grace; clenched her spoon tightly. He shot her a look as if to say "control yourself".

Bang! The sound resonated across the room making Nico jump. Neville Longbottom had ruined his first potions. The boy struck Nico as clumsy and slow and unfortunately he was right. Though that did not question his loyalty towards his friends.

"Stand up, foolish boy! 10 points from Gryffindor!" Snape dragged a shakened Longbottom away from the mess but not before he muttered "Evanesco!" - a vanishing spell. They were soon dismissed afterward. Thalia and Nico headed for the common room trying to figure out what the potions did to them leaving a bewildered Percy dragged off by Granger. Percy shot them a glare before he disappeared from their sight.

As they walked down the corridors, he tripped over and fell towards the wall. He closed his eyes waiting for impact but it never came. He went through the wall, well... half of his body did which meant... he was stuck in it. He freaked out, not knowing what to do.

"Holy Hades! Nico, you're... you..." Thalia stammered not knowing what to do. Calm down, Nico. Think! He imagined himself falling backwards and out the wall. It didn't work! He swallowed; face gradually growing paler and paler and tried again. His breathing grew shallower as his hands trembled. He tried to control his nerves but no avail. Just when he thought he was going to be stuck in the wall forever. It worked and he found himself falling backwards onto Thalia who tumbled onto the floor.

"We need to control these abilities." Thalia exclaimed, "What if you got stuck in a wall again? And in front of people!" It finally dawned to him the severity of the situation.

"Right." Nico said shakily as he stumbled back into the Common Room with Thalia equally shakened. "Right." he mumbled and buried his face in the couch.

"What got you so shaken up?" asked Weasley. Nico shot him a dark look before muttering a "Nothing".

"Whatever!" snapped Weasley heading towards the door with Potter.

"Where are you going?" asked Thalia from the couch close to the fireplace.

"Hagrid's place." replied Potter in a friendlier tone.

"The Keeper?"

"Yeah."

"Oh." said Thalia returning to stare at the fire. He wondered what Percy is doing.


End file.
